Fast. Pray. Vote. campaign asks Christians to take a break from election noise

An evangelical Christian group in Ohio is offering some election advice: “Fast. Pray. Vote.”

But the fasting wouldn't be from prime rib or Big Macs. Ohio members of the grass-roots
PICO National
Network are suggesting a fast that might be welcome in most Ohio homes right about now.

They’re asking fellow Christians to take a one-day fast from media — meaning a break from all
those tit-for-tat political ads clogging up the airwaves — this Friday, Nov. 2. Voters are asked to
spend the time praying for leaders and people without voices and reaching out to people with whom
they disagree.

A main force behind the nonpartisan
Turn Down the Noise. Fast. Pray. Vote. effort is Troy Jackson, an evangelical pastor, PICO
organizer and director of Ohio Prophetic Voices, a PICO federation.

"We have important decisions to make this Election Day. But the negative ads and corrosive radio
and TV commentary can make thoughtful and prayerful consideration difficult,” Jackson said in a
statement.

“After talking with other pastors, we realized we need to call the people of Ohio to ‘detox’
from the media for a day so we can ground our votes in our faith traditions and core values,” he
said. “We want to listen to God rather than the $100 million worth of attack ads when we go to the
polls on November 6."

Guiding the effort is a Bible verse from Romans 12:2: “Do not conform to the pattern of this
world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve
what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.”